Butler Municipal Alliance Seeks Community's Help to Assess Needs

The Butler Municipal Alliance Committee needs the community's help.

The advisory body, linked to the Morris County Division of Behavioral Health and Youth Services, exists to implement programs to reduce alcohol and drug abuse in Butler. Its effort is funded through the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and receives a Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Grant through an application to the county's Behavioral Health and Youth Services division.

It is now applying for 2014 funding and looking at a county deadline of August 2013. Before the committee can apply, it wants to assess the community's needs.

To that end, the BMAC will hold a special public meeting Wednesday, May 8 at 10 a.m. in the conference room of the Butler High School Annex Building.

"Our community assessment will determine the community’s understanding of the alcohol and drug issue in Butler, identify and prioritized specific problems, identify current programs and resources in place to address substance abuse and identify gaps in our prevention efforts," according to a group statement. "This assessment is a collaborative effort. The BMAC is inviting all community members; parents, youth, senior citizens, business owners including bars and liquor store owners, schools, religious institutions, recreation department, local government, law enforcement, fire department, first aid squad and all health care workers, civic organizations, treatment centers and prevention agencies – again, all community members are invited to join us in completing our needs assessment."

The group said the bigger the turnout the better and more accurately it can determine what resources Butler needs and what sort of funding would be necessary to provide them.

For more information and to R.S.V.P., contact coordinator Robin Lavorato at 973-492-2000 ext. 246 or rlavorato@butlerboe.org. Those who cannot attend but are still interested in being involved are invited to call as well.